Julio’s Café

Cons: Amazing neighborhood. Great breakfast (my favorite is the migas plate which includes beans, fruit, bacon, and tortillas). Decent coffee. Next to Quacks :)
Cons: Cash only. Can be busy.

Our favorite neighborhood spot. Not remotely fancy, but the food is good, homemade and pretty cheap, the ritas and Mexico martinis are strong, and you are almost guaranteed to run into a local friend. Solid «old Austin, «keeping it weird in the best way.

Perfectly acceptable substitute if you want pollo regio but are too afraid to go east of 35 cheers to them doing what they do good for their clientele ill stick to my taquerias

I have not even eaten my chicken dinner. but I will place my review based on no flour tortillas which is the 2^nd item on the discription of the ½ chicken. When I called the guy and explained he says «is that all».No apologies , no offer to replace. Are you kidding me. A 16 year old hostess should be trained how to handle this situation. I belive this man was the owner or at least the manager. absolutely pitiful service.

One of my Fav Mexican breakfast spots in Austin! Great Huevos Rancheros, Migas and Ala Mexicana! Have been a loyal customer since 1985 back when they were in Clarksville

so good. Try the chicken. Straight up fantastic go there now highly recommend. Great joint in a cool location and fantastic atmosphere.

Cash only. It’s really good! Chips & Salsa aren’t gratis but the salsa is sooo good that I wouldn’t give it away either. I had the chicken enchiladas with green sauce & the bf had the carne guisada. Both were fantastic examples of what Tex-​Mex should be. He also had a chalupa and he was in crispy tortilla heaven.
It’s only 4 stars because it’s small, a little pricey and the cash only thing is a bummer. Also, we had his 16 year old and it’s not kid friendly for picky eating guys like him. :)
Overall, we would definitely eat here again when we are Austin.

I LOVE THIS PLACE.
They have the best chicken soup I have EVER had. I want to try other things on the menu, but since I don’t live in the area, I can’t bring myself to get anything other than the soup when I am visiting.
I still crave their soup and seriously debate flying to Austin for some.

This restaurant is a one note wonder — which really is a wonder.
It does Mexican chicken dishes.
The chicken is wonderful.
Moist and fragrant and full of flavor.
Everything else is ho hum.
So the basic guide to how good your plate is going to be is:
What is the ratio of chicken to other ingredients?
The chicken tacos are super stuffed with chicken and the garnishes take a back seat.
Thumbs up.
Beef fajita chalupas?
What are you thinking?
Chicken enchiladas?
Has chicken but the chicken is buried in other stuff.
Chicken fajitas?
The moist chicken is better.
So your three choices are the chicken taco, the chicken taco and the chicken taco.
If you get their prime dish, life is sunshine and roses.
Get anything else and you will be telling Unilocal that Julio’s is overrated.

Wow– longtime austinite but my first time at Julios. Went here for lunch and split the Taco/​Enchilada combo and the beef chalupa with my son. Everything was amazingly fresh– the chicken enchilada with red sauce was packed with seasoned chicken right off the bone. But the highlight for me was the Fajita beef chalupa. Freshly made tortilla deep fried with thin stripped beef fajita meat. I topped mine with an avocado — highly recommend. Reminded me of the now discontinued Mexican pizza from Matts… Definitely will be coming back here.

No frills, fresh fast food. Everything was tasty.
I’m not a huge fan of chicken but the chicken taco was a solid size and delicious. Loved the Spanish Rice.
Not a bad place to go solo, patio is cute. Employees were nice.

Great traditional and delicious Mexican food. We had the chicken soup (amazing!) and the chicken taco. The chicken is from their rotisserie, and it has a wonderful authentic flavor.
The salsa is delicious!

Today was out first visit to Julio’s despite the fact we have been in the neighborhood for years. The service was great, everyone was super friendly and helpful. The orders are placed at the counter and they bring the meal to the table. The chicken soup was recommended by the owner/​cashier and he was right. Huge chunks of veggies, good chicken, rice and broth plus ½ an avocado. Hubby had the a la Carte taco which was also quite good. Not sure why we missed this over the years but we will be back.

Roasted ½ Chicken. Five stars! Staff extremely pleasant. This is where I’m going for chicken every time I’m in Austin.

Literally some of the best Mexican food I’ve ever had! The flavors in the food is something you want in all your dishes.
The refried beans were creamy with just the right amount of seasoning.
The rice was light and fluffy. All the grains were intact and had none of the «mush.» It’s something that you want in your Spanish rice.
I sampled the chicken enchiladas with the tomatillo and ranchero sauce.
The tomatillo sauce had a fresh flavor with a tangy twist. The queso fresco set off the the dish by tying in the chicken, tortillas, and the sauce.
The ranchero sauce was the best «red» I’ve ever had. It had a hearty flavor that fell in line with the slices of carrots and pieces of beef. It was versatile enough to enjoy on a cold day or even on a warm day on the patio.
Last tid bit: Get a marg! Done right in a low ball glass with some OG mix that’s not filled with sugar.
Gracias Julio’s!

Julio’s is my favorite Mexican food joint in all of Austin. I’ve been coming here for 20 years their green enchiladas plate is heaven. Best enchiladas anywhere. Their rotisserie chicken is also amazing. Big portions at reasonable prices what else can you ask for?

the chicken enchiladas with salsa verde were amazing. I didn’t get to try the roast chicken but judging by the chicken in the enchiladas, it’s delicious!

Always a solid choice, and you can’t go wrong with their rotisserie chicken or soup. Margaritas are on point too. It’s cash only so… bring cash. With so many «meh» Mexican food restaurants coming and going in town, it’s great to know that we can always get a solid meal at Julio’s. I’ve been a customer for years and will continue to be. Recommended.

We love this neighborhood gem. The food is fresh and the chicken soup with rice is always delicious. The menu is simple yet always consistent. Great local place to take guests.

They are extremely rude here. If you want terrible customer service and rude treatment, eat at Julio’s. Otherwise, there are many other locally owned and operated restaurants around town with courteous service where one will not be treated in an extremely poorly. My family has been coming here weekly for years, but I’m never going back after how I was treated today.

Julio’s Café is a true Austin gem! Tucked away in Hyde Park, Julio’s is perfect for lunch or dinner. Their speciality, roasted chicken, is delicious alone, inside an enchilada or in their awesome soup. You order at the cashier, pay and find a seat. Everyone is always friendly! I’ve never waited more than 8 minutes for my meal, or tasty drinks, to come to me. Remember to bring cash, though they do have an ATM on site if needed.

I really wanted to like this spot since its in my neighborhood. Unfortunately, the food left little desire to return. You order inside at the counter and get a number tent like at Whataburger. The food at Whataburger is much better though.
The carne guisada I has was ok. Good flavor, but I didn’t enjoy the fatty cuts of meat. Everything else was bland. The rice was starchy and flavorless. The tortillas were definitely not homemade. The coffee was ok, but in a self serve station. My friend had some breakfast and it eas just ok. Potatoes were nicely cooked, but no flavor. It is cash only. On the plus side, they do have a patio and you can take the pooch, but I think I’d prefer to do that at the bakery next door. It’s basically a fast food spot with bland mexican trying to appear like a hipster spot.

Honestly this place is overpriced and the quality is not really that good.

We got the beef nachos. Huge portion and delicious. Cash only with not much atmosphere but friendly staff. They have beer in bottles.

Everything is fresh. The place is objectively fantastic. The chicken is so juicy, it tastes like it came off of somebody that loves you’s grill. It smells correct inside — if you’re Mexican, or a fan of true Texas style Mexican food you know what I mean. No, they don’t accept credit/​debit cards. Yes, there is an ATM outside — don’t be lazy. The décor is warm and inviting and their porch has a great view of everyone bummed out they’re eating at Mother’s.

I can’t get over the fact that this place takes cash only! Love your customers a little…
I’ve only tried the breakfast tacos here and I don’t remember them being unique.

I really do not understand how this place has so many amazing reviews. Maybe we caught them on a bad night, I really don’t know. But our tacos were awful, there was absolutely no flavor to them. And my margarita was terrible.
When we sat down I noticed our table was pretty dirty, but hey, little Mexican restaurant, that’s fairly normal. But when we saw 3 giant cockroaches, that was it. Two on the floor and one on the wall. At one point one of them ran under our table.
I’m extremely tolerant of dirty hole in the wall Mexican restaurants, in fact I generally love them. They’re usually the best.
II don’t think I’ve ever disliked any Mexican food I’ve ever had. I’ve preferred some over others, but we are definitely never, ever, coming here again. I mean, really, how can you screw up tacos when you’re a Mexican restaurant.

An old reliable — it’s been a few years since I’ve been back (I remember their location in Clarksville). Julio’s has that laid back, good time lovin’ Austin vibe — indoor/​outdoor seating (doggies welcome outside), affordable, nice mix of people, good coffee, friendly service and simple food done well.
Breakfast tacos for my wife (bacon, egg and cheese AND potato, egg and cheese) and Huevos a la Mexicana for me (migas minus cheese and chips, plus fresh fruit, refried beans and corn tortillas). The tortillas were obviously home made — very yummy. The fruit was a good selection (watermelon, grapes, blackberry, strawberry and some other melon) and did I say the coffee was good? The eggs were cooked right — my only two quibbles is that they needed a bit of spice, and the salsa was a bit runny.
I gotta go here more often.

This is one of those small businesses that i love to support. Not a huge amount of seating but i usually can find a spot. Cash only so be prepared to leave your credit card in your wallet.
I love love love the migas and breakfast tacos when i go eat at Julio’s but all the food has been great. There isn’t any waiter service which is totally fine with me, especially since the place is small. The menu isn’t elaborate but has just the right amount of options. Great vibe and great food

I came here to try out their chicken quesadillas based on Unilocal reviews, and I was quite pleased with the result. Very meaty and cheesy, with fresh guacamole on the side. The place itself is fairly small, but I was still able to get a seat. After ordering and paying at the cash register (cash only), I sat down to wait for the food, but almost before I could check in on Unilocal,the food arrived. I was like, Wow! is that really mine? But then afterward I saw in some other reviews that speed-​serving is their specialty. So, if you’re ever in the mood for some «quick-​Mex,» this is the place for you. Just don’t forget to bring enough cash.

Went to Julio’s because it was recommended to us by a friend who lives in that neighborhood. First off this place is cash only (so that’s important to know). It’s the type of place where you order and pay up front and then grab a number. I usually like places like this because if you’re in a hurry, you can get your food and leave pretty quick.
I had the beef fajita taco plate: flour tortillas, green pepper and onion veggies, and beef strips, topped with fresh chilled lettuce and fresh tomatoes. It was great!
We also got the queso and the house salsa. I think I walked away loving the salsa the most. It was spicy but not over the top. It was the best house salsa I’ve ever had.
The atmosphere was very Austin. Down to earth, friendly, quick service, and patio seating.

[Yelp 365 in 2014 Challenge — 357:365]
Wowza! Talk about Speedy Gonzales speed ordering, getting food, and eating! Taco Bell takes longer than this joint!
Cash only — ATM on the patio or BYOCash. Walk up to counter, peruse menu, order… and add a cold Dos Equis. Take your number THEN pick a table (very boldly stated on front door). Wait 5 minutes… really…and plates of food are delivered to your table.
Eat.
Guisado Plate with rice, beans, and tortillas. Beef could have used a little more seasoning and consisted of a few chunks of nothing but fat (gag). Gravy was tasty but a bit in the thin side, beans runny (apologies for any images that might have evoked) and bland. Overall, A-​OK; however, they’ve got nada on Rosie’s Tamale House in the Guisada department (I promise, it is worth the drive & and it’s BYOB)!
I was told Julio’s is «known» for the yard-​bird, so had to try! ½ Roasted Chicken a la Carte (a whopping 75 cents more than the quarter chic so why, just why would you?) served with 3 flour tortillas, (I got four! Nah! Nah!), and it came with a heaping pile of lettuce and tomato with a small cup of house salsa on the side. Super moist and fall of the bone poultry, well seasoned skin (the worst best part to eat — always), but nothing super exceptional than most other roasted chicken… except the $ 6.75 price tag attached to it!!! I wish I could add a half star just for the best deal ever, but unfortunately Unilocal won’t allow me. Sniff. Quite the bargain for pretty good eats! I picked the chic and made yummy tacos with my plate ingredients… including a drizzle of salsa — surprisingly spicy! Sizzle.
Overall: Enjoyed everything just fine. Filling dinner for two con dos cervezas for just under 20 bucks… you bet! Would really like to go back for breakfast and /​or try the Julio’s Mexican Martini others have raved about. Maybe then I could add another star. Currently, really more like 3.5.
Tips:
*Bring moola.
**Parking all around the small building.
***Roasted chx not available on Sundays. Don’t ask me! ???

We checked out Julio’s this last Saturday night since we were craving some more authentic mexican food (no knock on tex-​mex) and had heard that Julio’s was a Hyde Park staple. It is also insanely close to our house making it quite convenient. We went right before happy hour ended at 6pm (awesome for a place to have HH on a Saturday night) and ordered beef nachos and green chili enchiladas with a happy hour margarita and a beer.
The place is small on the inside but we found a table for two with no issue. The margarita was great for the price. Our food was ready quite quickly which was nice and the plates were large.
A couple quick notes: The salsa that came with both plates had some serious kick. Good for people who enjoy extra spice but should be used with caution for those who do not. The green enchiladas tasted great and rice and beans were some of the better we have had in town. Nacho’s were excellent with plenty of beef and included guacamole which for $ 9 was a welcomed site.
Overall Julio’s provided a much more authentic Mexican food experience closer to what we are used to having lived in Southern California. The price is right, the place is close and the people are nice. We want to go back and try some of the tacos that looked excellent. Only small knock as many others have mentioned is CASH only and they charge for chips and salsa, but it is what it is.

I came here with a few friends on a Saturday morning, we were looking for brunch options before heading out to FFF. First thing we were warned about was that Julio’s was Cash Only. Lucky me, I had cash so Julio’s it was. I was really excited about the prospect of getting a taste of Austin’s version of «Mexican». Just like other reviewers have noted, the set up of Julio’s is off-​putting and I can imagine gets cramped during busy times. You order right by the register, where you’re herded like cattle through the door.
I ended up deciding on the Migas. I do appreciate that when you ask for a glass of water, you are provided a cup of ice for the self-​serve water station. It’s a good thing I was in great company, otherwise the wait for our food would have been unbearably long. I’m pretty sure we waiting for over 30 minutes for our food and even my friends, the locals, commented on how unusually long they were taking to get the food out.
Once I did receive my migas, I noticed that my «seasonal fruit» was mingling with my refried beans. I wasn’t willing to test my fortitude with bean covered grapes so I put those aside. The beans themselves were underseasoned and really disappointing. The migas were subjected to the same blah seasoning. I was thoroughly underwhelmed by everything except for the ranchero sauce which was incredibly flavorful and the beautifully cooked bacon. The rest of my fruit was also really tasty and I wept for the pieces that were sacrificed to the bean gods. It made me wonder why they just stuck fruit on the plate next to beans instead of placing a small bowl on the plate to separate them.
As I was walking out of the restaurant, around the back (which is really the side) to where our car was parked, I was hit by an incredibly foul stench. As I looked around, I realized that the stench was coming from the back door of Julio’s kitchen. They had their food scraps and dirty water strewn across the asphalt surrounded by a small infestation of flies. I’m not usually put off by a nasty display, but when a large amount of your customers are walking past that filth on a daily basis, you should at least do your best to keep that area somewhat clean.
Whether I’ll return to Julio’s is another question entirely, I may if someone else has the cash and is paying.

Julio’s is a profoundly «ok» place. I’m not really sure why so many of my friends give it rave reviews. It’s not bad but there’s nothing amazing about it, plus it’s cash only.
The breakfast tacos are ok, sure, but Taco Joint is just a minute down the road and it’s better, faster, and they take credit cards. Or go to Tyson’s a minute up the road and get the Robinsonion (aka the best taco on the planet).
Julio’s seems like the sort of place that would be decent if you lived in Ohio but this is Austin and there’s nothing impressive about it.
Plus it’s cash only.
Did I mention the cash-​only part?

After years (literally, years) of reading about Julio’s in Hyde Park, I finally was able to get here. Though I didn’t get into the chicken soup, I did have some beef quesadillas. Not typically what I would order but they looked so intriguing.
What I can say is that they came out with lightning speed. That was pretty impressive. The food overall was kind of mediocre. Meh on the salsa, the rice/​beans were only okay and there was nothing really compelling about the quesadilla.
I’ll try it again for the chicken soup but overall, I’m just kind of sad it wasn’t better.